How to Use This Resource
This three-tier format is designed for every level of Bible reader. A Quick Answer gives the headline cultural insight. A Simple Explanation walks through the background in plain language. A Deeper Look explores the Greek and Hebrew terms, Second Temple context, and where scholars cautiously connect related Old Testament imagery.
Use the Table of Contents to jump to the level you want.
Table of Contents
A Quick Answer
In the Gospel accounts, the word translated “hem” is the Greek kraspedon—and it doesn’t mean the sewn bottom edge of a robe as much as it means the fringe/tassel on the edge of a garment. 1
So when she “touched the hem,” she most likely reached for one of the corner tassels (tzitzit) on Jesus’ outer garment (his cloak). That practice comes from Numbers 15:37–41 and Deuteronomy 22:12. 2
The point isn’t the fabric; it’s that she believed even the slightest contact with Jesus was enough.
A Simple Explanation
What she likely touched
The tassels (tzitzit) on Jesus’ outer garment (his cloak). Faithful Jewish men wore these tassels on the four corners of their cloak as a visible reminder to obey God. 2
Numbers 15 explains their purpose: the tassels were meant to help God’s people remember His commands and not drift with the desires of their hearts and eyes. Deuteronomy 22 restates the practice on the garment’s corners.
Why that detail matters
- It fits the scene: tassels hang low and would be the easiest part to touch in a crowd.
- It shows her mindset: she’s not grabbing Jesus to stop Him—she’s reaching for the smallest contact, believing His power is enough.
Simple takeaway
She probably touched a tassel on the corner of Jesus’ cloak—and the point isn’t the fabric; it’s that she believed even the slightest contact with Jesus was enough.
A Deeper Look
1) “Hem” in the Gospels: kraspedon
The Greek word kraspedon can refer to an edge or border, but in Jewish contexts it commonly points to the garment fringe/tassels. One reason this matters: the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) uses kraspedon in the tassel command in Numbers 15. That makes it very likely the Gospel writers want readers to understand this as a touch of the tassels rather than random cloth. 12
2) The “World of the New Testament” background: covenant reminder, not superstition
The tassels weren’t a magical object. They were a wearable reminder of God’s covenant—Scripture woven into daily life. By Jesus’ day, this practice was widely known, and Jesus Himself mentions tassels when rebuking religious leaders for turning them into status symbols (Matthew 23:5). That critique assumes tassels were normal; the problem was showmanship, not obedience. 3
3) “Corners,” “wings,” and Malachi 4:2 (a careful connection)
Many also notice the Old Testament imagery: in Hebrew, the word for “corner” (kanaph) can also mean “wing,” and the term is used for garment corners in several passages. 4
That’s why some scholars and commentators point out a possible thematic resonance with Malachi 4:2 (“healing in its wings”). The idea is not that tassels have power, or that Matthew explicitly says this is a fulfillment formula, but that a first-century Jewish reader could hear an echo: “wings/corners” language + messianic hope + healing. 56
Important restraint: the Gospels do not say the woman was consciously thinking of Malachi 4:2, so we should not state that as fact. But noting the linguistic and cultural backdrop helps us see why this detail is meaningful without overclaiming.
4) The theological shock: her uncleanness doesn’t spread—His holiness does
Under the purity laws, her condition made her ceremonially unclean (see Leviticus 15 for background). In a normal direction of thought, her touch would “defile.” But in Jesus, the direction reverses: His holiness heals her. That’s one reason the Gospel writers spotlight the touch—it’s a quiet sign that the kingdom is breaking in and reversing shame. 7
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Sources & Footnotes
- BDAG (Danker, ed.), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, s.v. “κράσπεδον” (kraspedon)—often “tassel/fringe,” including Jewish garment usage. ↩ ↩
- The tassel commands: Numbers 15:37–41; Deuteronomy 22:12. Note also Septuagint usage in Numbers 15 (Greek kraspedon) connecting the term to tassels/fringes. ↩ ↩ ↩
- Matthew 23:5 notes religious leaders “widen” phylacteries and “lengthen” tassels (often translated “fringes”), illustrating the practice was recognized in Jesus’ day and could be abused for show. ↩
- HALOT (Koehler-Baumgartner), s.v. “כָּנָף” (kanaph)—meaning “wing,” and by extension “edge/corner” including of a garment. ↩
- R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT), comments on Matthew 9:20 and the “fringe/tassels” detail; France notes Matthew’s typical restraint with explicit fulfillment language even where OT themes may resonate. ↩
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, notes on Matthew 9:20 / Mark 5 / Luke 8 regarding Jewish garment practice and the cultural significance of fringes/tassels; helpful for “World of the NT” background. ↩
- Purity background: Leviticus 15 (flow of blood laws) provides the ceremonial context for why the woman’s situation carried social and religious exclusion; the Gospel narratives highlight reversal as Jesus’ power brings cleansing rather than contamination. ↩
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